The Treo Pro will make its debut on Sprint’s Mobile Broadband Network on March 15. The Treo Pro — running on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 — is a proven and reliable tool for mobile enterprise customers. And the Sprint Treo Pro adds some new elements that make it even more powerful.
The Sprint Treo Pro is the first Palm phone available with Internet Explorer Mobile 6, providing users with a more robust mobile browser. With Wi-Fi, GPS, a full keyboard and touch screen, all available for $199 (after the requisite rebates and agreements), the Treo Pro packs about as much bang for its buck as you can fit into a sleek form factor. Perhaps that’s why Tom Swift, EVP at Primerica, a financial services company, encourages his over 100,000 agents to adopt the Treo Pro:
We have managed to get hold of some specifications at long last of the leaked HTC Roadmap images that we saw way back in the beginning of January. Some interesting devices but nothing too amazing to get us fired up. The Thor which will be the successor to the large Athena will sport a 1Ghz Qualcomm processor which is quite interesting but not much else. Take a look for yourself after the break.
What happens if you take the base components from an Atom based Netbook and blend it with an 18" monitor.
You get the Advent AIO100 – a low power consuming, all in one PC.
The Advent AIO100
What’s in the box?
- The main unit
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Power Cable
There is also apparently a manual in the production model of this, but it wasn’t present in this review unit.
Advent AIO100 Specification:
- Intel® Atom processor
- (1.6GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB Cache)
- Genuine Windows XP® Home Edition
- 1GB DDR2 memory
- 160GB SATA hard drive
- NVIDIA® GeForce 9200M graphics *
- Dual Layer DVD Rewriter
- Built-in wireless (802.11b/g/n)
- Integrated 1.3 million pixel webcam
- 5x USB ports
- Media card reader
* Our test unit had the Intel 945 Express graphics card, this has apparently been changed to the Nvidia chipset in final hardware revisions.
General
Front – 2 LED’s, one for power, one for HDD activity
The buttons from left to right are :- Power, LCD brightness (there are 5 levels), Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute Speakers, LCD On/Off
Advent AIO100 Front View
Right Side- Media card reader, Microphone, Headphone, 2xUSB, External VGA connector (behind the cover on the right hand side)
Advent AIO100 right side view
Back – 3xUSB, Power, Network
Advent AIO100 back view
Left Side – DVD-RW Drive
Advent AIO100 left side view
Review
When Matt sent me a picture of this and asked if I’d review it, my first thought (having recently reviewed the Dell Mini 9) was that it was a Photoshop blending the Mini 9 with a monitor.
Once I confirmed that it was a real product, I said yes, as I was curious as to what Advent had here.
I looked at the full specs of the Advent AIO100 online and was puzzled further – they seemed to confirm my original thoughts, with the hardware specs being almost identical to the Mini 9 – just the hard drive and the monitor being different.
So on to the actual device itself.
As I unboxed the AIO100 I realised that the monitors connection to the base isn’t exactly as I thought it would be. I had assumed there would some sort of plug together connection – of course if I’d thought it through a little bit I would have realised that approach would mean some fussiness with the cables connecting the monitor to the base.
The base is connected to the base unit and that connection is hinged at the monitor end, with the connecting cables being hidden inside the connecting arm.
One thing I would mention to people who might be unpacking one of these is to be careful as you remove polystyrene as there is some level of springiness in the arm between the monitor and the base. You wouldn’t want to drop your new PC.
The unit itself is covered in the ultra shiny plastic that so many monitor are nowadays – the sort of plastic that just attracts fingerprints, and this is obviously something Advent themselves are aware of as this unit actual included a cleaning cloth.
Also in the box are the USB keyboard and mouse, the power adapter and the CDs for reinstalling Windows and MS Works 9.0
The keyboard itself is one of the compact variety where all the extra surround has been removed and on top of that its one of the thinnest keyboards I’ve ever seen. Whilst that may sound as though its delicate and flimsy it works just fine and feels perfectly solid whilst typing on it.
The mouse is a standard optical mouse with 2 mouse buttons and a scroll wheel.
Setup is really simple – just connect the power, plug in the USB keyboard and mouse, and press the power button. You can’t really get much more simple than that.
There is a slight hiccup with the power connector.
It’s a right angled plug, which means that if you want the cable hidden along the back of the unit then the cable has to go either towards the USB sockets or towards the network connector – and it slightly blocks the socket you point it towards, not dreadfully, but enough that you question the usage of a right angled connector instead of a normal bullet one.
Once started though, it’s a standard Windows XP boot to the desktop.
One tool that is installed on the AIO100 by default is a ‘recovery’ tool made by ‘The TechGuys’.
It can either recover from a backup you’ve made previously or else you can choose to do what they call a Destructive Recovery – that basically wipes the hard drive and reinstalls the PC as it came shipped to you.
Very useful and certainly quicker than doing a Windows reinstallation from scratch yourself.
The other pre-installed programs are PowerDVD and Microsoft Works 9.0
One thing that is missing though is any form of anti-virus. Normally this is one of the many pieces of trial software that PC manufacturers install by default. It is certainly the very first thing that I’d recommend installing – ideally getting the download from web using another PC that is already protected.
The monitors default resolution is 1680×945 which is a resolution I’ve never come across, but on the 18.3" monitor it certainly gives the user a decent real estate. And built into the top of the monitor is a 1.3M pixel web cam.
The viewing angle on the monitor isn’t brilliant. If you are to the left and right of the ‘sweet spot’ things are fine, but if you are below that perfect position then things go darker with some of the colours reversing, and if you above this spot then things go light.
Now all LCD monitors suffer from this problem, but the ‘sweet spot’ is normally larger than this, with more forgiveness in the users position before the colours distort. And across a relatively large monitor like this it differs between slightly dark and slightly light across its height whilst you are sitting still.
On most LCDs you can work around this slightly by choosing to tilt the screen to get a light image with a more consistent colour across the whole screen, and then adjusting the monitor’s internal contrast and colour settings. Only this monitor doesn’t have those settings. You CAN adjust those with the graphics card software within Windows, but it’s quite not as flexible.
On the subject of the graphics card, this unit is a slight quirk according to the specs out there on the web. According to the specs I’ve found this PC is supposed to have an Nvidia 9200M graphics chipset on the motherboard. This one has an Intel 945 Express – exactly the same as the Dell Mini 9.
Whilst the graphics card is the same as on the smaller resolution NetBook it’s certainly capable for web browsing and fullscreen video playback. I don’t think I’ll be trying to play any recent 3D games on it mind.
One component that is a big step-up from the Mini 9 is the 160GB SATA hard drive of the AIO100. The drive felt faster to me, though I didn’t do any hard testing on it, just gut and experience.
By using an Atom N270 CPU the PC has very low power consumption, with quoted figures of 34W with the CPU going full bore. This also means that it runs pretty cool. When it does heat up the on board fans kick in, and whilst they are noticeable, they are pretty quiet – and certainly quieter than a normal PC tower.
When it comes to running programs the Advent AIO100 is fine for anything that doesn’t require real number crunching power. Web browsing, document editing and fullscreen video are all handled fine – providing you are not trying to do anything too complicated (tell your video player to do lots of affects to the picture then it will soon push past the CPU’s abilities and start to chug a little).
The built in DVD drive follows the rest of the device in being built with laptop type hardware, when you press eject it springs open then you manually open it all the way or close it. So no power driven open and close like on normal desktops, but
Built in WIFI and Gigabit Ethernet will let you connect the PC to your network whichever way you prefer.
An external VGA connector, 5 USB ports and a 4-in-1 media card reader round out the capabilities of this petite base unit.
Something else I should point out is that the unit can also be arranged with the base behind the monitor and then using the VESA connector into the bottom of the base unit. It’s an interesting thing to allow the user to choose between a ‘standard’ monitor type layout and a VESA connection which would clear the desk surface of anything but the keyboard and mouse.
Though under this arrangement the various buttons, ports and the DVD drive are less accessible than in the desktop arrangement.
Advent AIO100 back view
Conclusion
So where does all this leave the Advent AIO100.
Well if you are in the market for an all-in-one PC, that doesn’t take up any more space than a monitor alone, then the AIO100 is worth looking at.
If you are only looking to browse the web, edit documents or even view DVDs, then the unit is certainly capable – and the ability to reconfigure the devices physical form to hang it from a VESA bracket would allow it to be used in a non-standard office location (though you’d likely want to get a wireless keyboard/mouse unit).
My main niggle with the AIO100 as a device is the viewing angle on the monitor. If you can live with that and the relatively low grunt of the CPU then it’s a neat little PC that won’t guzzle much power.
Of course if you want to run more powerful applications or games, then you’ll need a more tradition PC – and with current prices Dual Core PCs with a decent size monitor can be bought for about the same sort of money these days.
If I was getting a PC for my mum (who only really needs web browsing and email), with an eye on small form factor and low power consumption then I’d seriously consider a PC like this. Though the very first thing I’d do is install anti-virus software.
An alternate thought though is to get a NetBook and a large desktop monitor for about the same money – this would allow you to take your PC with you and just hook it up to the larger monitor (and keyboard and mouse if you choose) when you get home. Though I suspect that’s not the market that the Advent AIO100 is aimed at.
Review by: Iain
Our latest podcast is now available to download, in episode 27 we are joined by our USA writer Micah and we discuss Windows Mobile 7 coming in 2010, the new Asus P835 and Acer DX900, Samsung Omnia HD, Nokia N97 pricing and availability, iPhone applications and much more.You can subscribe via iTunes, RSS or download the mp3 file here. Full show notes after the break.
Brandon over at Pocketnow has got a Windows Mobile 6.5 Rom running on a HTC Touch HD and has put together a short video looking at the new IE6 for mobile. This new browser will ship with future Windows Mobile 6.5 devices and should provide a much richer web browsing experience on Windows Mobile devices. The current version of Pocket Internet Explorer is a fast browsing experience and is good for quickly finding bits of information however the rendering and page layouts is a joke.
The new version Microsoft claim will offer desktop class rendering with full flash support all designed for finger use, we will see if it lives up to that. For now though you can have a look at the video after the break but bare in mind this is not the finished version.
According to The Register who reported back in January that Play.com stated on its website that the N97 would be released on 31 March for the SIM-free price of £480.00, the same retailer has now put its shipping date for the phone back until 23 June, while simultaneously upping the price to a whopping £650.00. Now this is a very well specified phone but £650.00 can buy you a lot of computing power or the highest end phone from HTC and still have over £ 100.00 left over. Another retailer Expansys are also now showing the revised shipping date of 23rd June and their price is even higher than Play.com.
So there you go, if you want the latest Nokia flagship device you going to have to wait a little while longer, at least it will give you more time to save up for it.
via The Register
Mio have shown us via an online virtual roadshow, their latest Windows Mobile handset the K70. It has has a 3.5-inch screen of WQVGA resolution, you know the strange resolution seen first on the Samsung Omnia, a 3 megapixel auto focus camera and runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. Also included are worldwide 3.5G / HSUPA bands, WiFi, built in GPS , 128 MB Ram and 256 MB Rom, and a rotation sensor. Dimensions are 115.3mm x 61.5mm x 11.9mm. No mention on availability so far.
Full details at Mio Roadshow
There’s no denying that the Net Book form factor is extremely popular at the moment with virtually all laptop manufacturers offering a mini laptop of some kind within their range. We’ve reviewed a large number of these in the past here on T&M from the trend-setting 7" Asus Eee PC to the more recent 9 and 10" models that have hit the market.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 9
Dell are, perhaps, late to join the party with their Inspiron Mini 9. As the name suggests, the Mini 9 comes with a 9" display and, just like many of it’s competitors, is powered by an Intel Atom low-power CPU.
So what can the Dell Mini 9 offer that sets it apart from the rest of the Net Book crowd? Well we have been using the Mini 9 for the past few weeks and are just about to finish up the review so to find out more you’ll have to stop by in a day or two. Until then have a look at the unboxing video below for a quick tour of the Mini 9 and for a couple of quick review comments.
Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Specification
| Processors | Intel® AtomTM Processor (1.6GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 533MHz FSB) |
| Operating System | Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition SP3 Ubuntu Linux 8.04 with custom Dell interface |
| Memory | 1GB 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM |
| Chipset | Intel® 945PM / GS Express Chipset |
| Graphics | Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 950 |
| LCD Display | Glossy 8.9 inch LED display (1024X600) |
| Hard Drives | Up to 16GB configured with a Solid State drive. |
| Optical Drives | No optical drive available. |
| Ports | USB 2.0 (3) Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45) 15-pin VGA video connector Audio jacks (1-line out, 1 mic-in) 3-in-1 Media Card Reader AC adapter connector |
| Power | 4-cell 32WHr Li-Ion Battery |
| Camera | Integrated 1.3MP webcam |
| Wireless | 802.11g mini-card Bluetooth® Internal (2.0) mini-card |
|
Dimensions & Weight |
Width: 9.13" (232mm) Height: 1.07" (27.2mm) front / 1.25" (31.7mm) back Depth: 6.77" (172mm) Weight: Starting weight of 2.28 lbs. (1.035 kg)1(8.9" display, 4 cell battery). Weights will vary depending on configurations and manufacturing variability. |
Posted by: Matt
In the US, there is a chain of stores known as Aldi. Aldi specializes in selling off brand food in large packages at very cheap prices. Recently a woman in Wisconsin bought a bag of chips (crisps for our English readers) at an Aldi, and got a surprise. In the bag she found an old used cell phone, for the record it was a Nokia, but it doesn’t really matter. Her reaction is probably the most interesting thing about the situation. This poor lady over completely overreacted, instead of tossing out the offending bag, or returning it to the store, she filed a complaint with the FDA.
Now I know that finding anything inside a bag of chips, besides the chips themselves, can be unappetizing, but it isn’t like she found a severed finger or a mouse carcass in there. I really don’t think wayward electronics in food is that big a problem in the United States. In fact out of the hundreds of millions of pounds of food consumed in the US every week, and this is the first time I have ever heard of an incident like this happening.
For years, police departments have been installing laptop computers in their patrol cars to give officers in the field access to critical information. The police in Memphis Tennessee have been using smartphones for a while now to supplement their in car laptops, but there was a problem, the officers were having a hard time with data input on the small devices. Enter the Celio Redfly, which is a laptop shaped machine that tethers to a smartphone and allows the police to use the smartphones in conjunction with a larger screen and keyboard. This allows the police to continue taking advantage of the flexibility and portability of a smartphone when out of the patrol car, but the more ergonomic advantages of a laptop while in the car. The Memphis Police Department have deployed 1200 of the Redflys, and I’m sure this will be a big help to the officers on patrol.
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